Vacuum cap lifter and bottle opener



Oct. 23, 1951, A. H. FOSTER ETAL VACUUM CAP LIFTER AND BOTTLE OPENER Filed May 2, 1950 IN VEN TORS.

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 VACUUM CAP LIFTER AND BOTTLE OPENER Arthur Haydon Foster and Annie Foster, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Application May 2, 1950, Serial No. 159,504

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a' new and useful receptacle closure remover, and more particularly to a device to facilitate the removal of vacuum caps and bottle caps.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which can be readily secured to a glass jar or bottle and used to remove the cap in an easy and effective manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cap lifter having two substantially semicircular jaws to clamp about a jar or bottle and a thin knife-like cam, said cam normally lying in the plane of the jaws so that the jaws can be clamped about a jar or bottle with the thin knife-like cam extending between a flange at the lower end of the cap and a flange on the jar or bottle and structure for rotating the cam to lift the cap.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are shown in the accompanying drawing, described in the following description, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view of our cap lifter with the cam and cam handle in the position to which they are moved in lifting a cap.

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a portion of one jaw, the cam and cam handle in the relative positions that these elements would occupy while securing the cap lifter to a jar or bottle.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing portions of a jar, a cap, one jaw of the cap lifter, the cam and the cam handle in the positions in which these elements would be just before rotating the cam to lift the cap.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing our cap lifter secured to a jar and showing in dotted lines the positions of the cam handle, cam and cap as the cap is lifted.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the relative positions of the jar, cap, cam and handle before lifting the cap and indicating in dotted lines the positions of these elements after the cap is lifted.

In the drawing, l and 2 are substantially semi-circular jaws having serrated beveled edges 3 and 4, so that these edges can be clamped between a flange on the jar or bottle and a flange on the cap as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. These jaws have handles 5 and 6 secured to one end of each jaw in any suitable way such as the handle and jaws being integral. The handles and jaws may be made of sheet metal and portions of the sheet metal turned back to form handles of double thickness.

The other ends of the jaws are pivotally connected. This connection may include spaced openings '1 and 8 in jaw 2. Jaw I has a projection 9 which is bent substantially at right angles and substantially at right angles again to form an offset projection. This projection can be inserted in opening I or 8 depending upon the size of the jar. When the projection is inserted in opening I or 8, the end of the projection I0 is in contact with the other side of jaw 2.

Jaw 2 has a depressed portion II which forms part of a bearing. The other part of the bearing is formed by bearing member I2 which is secured to jaw 2 in any suitable way such as by rivets. A shaft l3 passes through the bearing. One end of the shaft has a thin knife-like cam l4. The said cam will be in the plane of beveled edge 4, when the cap lifter is being clamped to the jar. Cam handle [5 is secured to the other end of shaft l3. As indicated in the drawing, the cam and cam handle are so arranged that the cam is horizontal when the cam handle is vertical. By arranging these elements in this way the cam and cam handle will automatically assume the correct positions while clamping the cap lifter about a jar or bottle.

In operation the jar or bottle and cap lifter are placed in the relative positions indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, with beveled edges 3 and 4 and cam 5 between flange I6 of the jar and flange ll of the cap. Cam handle [5 is then turned to rotate cam 14 to lift the cap.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. A cap lifter comprising two substantially semi-circular jaws, means pivotally connecting corresponding ends of said jaws, separate handles secured to the other ends of said jaws, a bearing extending radially through one jaw, a shaft passing through said bearing and rotatable therein, a thin knife-like cam extending from the inner end of said shaft and a handle secured to the other end of said shaft.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the cam is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle so that the cam is horizontal when the handle is vertical.

3. A cap lifter comprising two flat substantially semi-circular jaws having beveled inner edges in substantially the same plane, means pivotally connecting corresponding ends of said jaws, separate handles secured to the other ends of said jaws, a bearing having an opening extending radially through one'jaw, a shaft passing through said bearing and rotatable therein, a thin knifelike cam extending from the end of said shaft, said cam being arranged on said shaft so that the cam is in the same plane as said beveled edges when the shaft is in one position, and a cam handle secured to the other end of the shaft.

4. The combination of claim 3, in which the handle is secured to the shaft at one end and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft so that the cam is horizontal when the handle extends vertically downward.

ARTHUR HAYDO'N FOS I'ERl ANNIE FOSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hartshorn June 26, 1906 Dearing Mar. 2, 1909 Stempel Mar. 21, 1916 Weil July 7, 1925 Grant Apr. 12, 1927 :Crowell Apr. 30, 1929 Richel June 13, 1939 

